Sunday, July 31, 2016

Over the last few months I have been trying the solve the mystery of Mode-S hex code AE57D7. Based on intercepts I knew it was a US Army aircraft, probably a C-12 based on the PAT missions it was flying and based in the mid-Atlantic states (probably at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ).
Here are just some of the Priority Air Transport Mode-S IDs I have seen recently.
PAT 102/141/156/166/326/404/433/483/526/572/605/626/653/763/783/836

Friday the aircraft finally revealed its true identity in its Mode-S Hex address:

AE57D7 2016-07-29 21:00:36.000 R00261 Palmer, MA USA

US Army 2-228 AVN C-12 Huron returning to KWRI from Afghanistan in 2014 (US Army Photo)

R00261 corresponds to 10-00261, a Beech C-12V-1 Huron based with the A/2-228 AVN at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ (KWRI). Prior to March 2014 this aircraft was using its civilian hex code of AB146A. Now it is using its military hex code of AE57D7.

FARNBOROUGH, England -- The Marines' F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has four deployments lined up across the next five years, a senior official said this week -- and some of them could take it into the heart of the coalition fight against the Islamic State.

Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow on Monday, Col. William Lieblein said by 2021 the aircraft will have completed three shipboard pumps with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, and one on an aircraft carrier.

"2021 will be here before we know it," he said. "And that's about the same time we start really standing up a significant number of squadrons."

The F-35B "jump jet" variant of the Lockheed Martin aircraft declared initial operational capability just a year ago, and its first deployment has already been announced: Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 [VMFA-121], in Yuma, Arizona, will move permanently forward to Okinawa, Japan, where the aircraft will be sent out aboard the 31st MEU, which is also permanently forward-based in the Pacific.

Lieblein said other F-35 squadrons will then deploy with two West Coast MEUs, though he could not specify which units would take out the aircraft or when those deployments would take place. The three West Coast MEUs, based at Camp Pendleton, California, are the 11th, 13th and 15th. The 13th MEU deployed in February and began launching airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria from the Persian Gulf.

Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns confirmed that it was a "very real possibility" that a West Coast-based MEU with a squadron of F-35s aboard could receive a similar tasking.

The first carrier deployment for the Marines will come in 2020, Lieblein said. While he could not name the carrier to deploy the aircraft, a Marine official said it may be the USS George H.W. Bush. The Marine Corps plans to acquire 63 F-35C carrier-variant Joint Strike Fighters, which have larger wings and foldable wingtips and are designed for arrested recovery landings. The F-35C is set to achieve IOC in 2018 or early 2019, shortly ahead of the planned deployment.

Lieblein said the transit across the Atlantic of three F-35Bs, two Marine Corps aircraft and one Royal Air Force bird, to the United Kingdom for participation in the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough was a confidence-builder and was accomplished seamlessly, with the same mission profile and the same number of in-flight tanking evolutions that Lieblein had previously done in a Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet.

"That was a major milestone for us and it demonstrated to ourselves and to everyone else that we can forward deploy this program whenever we want to," he said.

The F-35B is set to enter full-rate production in 2018, and the Marines' aggressive deployment schedule demonstrates how eager officials are to make use of the long-awaited platform.
But it's possible U.S. troops won't have to wait until late 2017 or 2018 to test the mettle of the fifth-generation fighter in combat.

The commander of Air Combat Command, Gen. Herb "Hawk" Carlisle, said Wednesday that he was prepared to deploy the F-35A Air Force variant immediately after the aircraft reaches IOC later this year.

"The minute I declare initial operational capability, if the combatant commander calls me up and says they needed F-35s, I would send them," Carlisle said, according to Bloomberg News.

Thanks to Iden on SoCalMilcom for the heads up. What frequency will they use for their CP? Will it be the old Tahoe Control on 256.025 MHz? Who will be the first to log it?

“After nearly 8 years, KC-135s are coming back to Beale”

KC-135R 60-0323 (ex-434ARW) Arrived on the base July 10.

USAF Photo

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Air Force Reserve's 940th Wing here was officially redesignated as the 940th Air Refueling Wing on April 29.

The wing will change from the C2ISR (command, control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) mission to the air refueling mission and fly KC-135 Stratotanker, which has provided aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force for more than 50 years.

The redesignation and mission change will also see the unit change Numbered Air Force organizational assignments from 10th Air Force, Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, to 4th Air Force, March Air Reserve Base, California

Historically, the 940th flew Stratotankers for more than three decades until the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission re-aligned the unit.

An air refueling wing since 1977, the unit moved from Mather AFB, California, to McClellan AFB, California, in 1993, and then here in 1998. The former two bases have since closed.

The official ceremony to celebrate the mission redesignation is schedule June 4 at 10 a.m. More information for the ceremony will be released in upcoming weeks.

The first mission-ready KC-135 Stratotanker arrived at Beale Air Force Base July 10 (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Brenda Davis)

Sunday, July 17, 2016

As we move into the 2016 political season, business will start to really pick up for one United States military organization that is charged with watching the busy skies over the U.S. for possible bad guys – NORAD.

115FW CAP Over Madison Wisconsin (USAF Photo)

At National Special Security Events (NSSE), such as the two political conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia in the next two weeks and the Presidential Inauguration in Washington in January 2017, NORAD and Combat Air Patrols will play a pivotal role in the security at these events.

Practically invisible after the end of the Cold War, North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command now has a daily presence over American cities due to the events of September 11, 2001. After the terrorist strikes against New York and Washington, D.C., NORAD was suddenly thrust back into the national spotlight.

As a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the North American Aerospace Defense Command implemented several changes, and made improvements and enhancements to its mission and resources to face a new range of internal threats. Configured to meet outside threats such as a Soviet bomber or missile attack, NORAD had to change to meet a new threat that could appear without warning within the U.S. and Canadian borders. Now NORAD is at the heart of the all the combat air patrol (CAP) missions flown over U.S. cities.

The organization was established on May 12, 1958, (an effect of the Cold War) as a joint command between the governments of Canada and the United States, as the North American Air Defense Command. Its main technical facility has been the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, formerly Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center, of the Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station, Colorado; and for this reason NORAD is sometimes referred to as Cheyenne Mountain.

Similar to the Cheyenne Mountain Directorate, but on a smaller scale, the Canada East and Canada West Sector Air Operations Control Centers were located in an underground complex 600 feet below the surface at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay in Ontario, Canada.

On October 12, 2006, NORAD operations at CFB North Bay have officially moved above ground into the Sergeant David L. Pitcher Building, and the underground complex has been "moth balled" but can be returned to operation if it should be needed again.

The Commander of NORAD and U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) maintains a headquarters and command center at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The NORAD and USNORTHCOM Command Center serves as a central collection and coordination facility for a worldwide system of sensors designed to provide the commander and the leadership of Canada and the U.S. with an accurate picture of any aerospace or maritime threat.

NORAD has administratively divided the North American landmass into three regions, the Alaska NORAD (ANR) Region, under Eleventh Air Force; the Canadian NORAD (CANR) Region, under 1 Canadian Air Division, and the Continental U.S. (CONR) Region, under 1 AF/CONR-AFNORTH. Both the CONR and CANR regions are divided into eastern and western sectors.

NORAD Combat Air Patrols Protect North America

The military definition of a combat air patrol is an aircraft patrol that protects an objective area, over a military force, over a critical area of a combat zone, or over an air defense area, for the purpose of intercepting and destroying hostile aircraft before they reach their target. Combat air patrols apply to both overland and over water operations, protecting other aircraft, fixed and mobile sites on land, or ships at sea.

A CAP typically entails fighter aircraft flying a tactical pattern around or screening a defended target, while looking for incoming attackers. Effective combat air patrol patterns may include aircraft positioned at both high and low altitudes, in order to shorten response times when an attack is detected. Modern CAPs use either Ground Control Intercept (GCI) radar units or an AWACS aircraft to provide maximum early warning for defensive reaction.

The most common CAP mission flown over the U.S. today is done under the banner of Operation Noble Eagle (ONE). It is the name given to military operations related to homeland security and support to federal, state, and local agencies.

This operation marks the first combat mission for the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor. The United States Department of Defense also provides F-15 Eagles and F-16 Fighting Falcons to this operation, and the Canadian Forces provided CF-18s.

The F-15, F-16 and F-22 fighters assigned to NORAD have carried out intensive patrolling operations since the 9/11 attacks. E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft – from Air Force and NATO – have also been flying many missions and are used to direct action against any hostile aircraft in U.S. airspace. A large number of KC-10 and KC-135 aerial tankers have been engaged in this mission.

After the 2004 reorganization by DoD of the 225-400 MHz band, NORAD frequencies went through some changes. We utilized our exclusive milcom monitor team and flushed out the new lineup of NORAD frequencies. Load the frequencies in our list below and you will have a front row seat to the action in your local area.

Given the current security climate that we find ourselves in, I would strongly recommend to all readers of this post program our frequency list in your Milcom scanner or bank and you will be ready for whatever the contingency may come at us. You can monitor combat air patrol operations if they are active in your area on a milcom capable scanner.

There have been some major changes to the organizational structure of this military command since it was last mentioned in this column nearly four years ago. This also includes the myriad of frequencies that are used by these defenders of the homeland.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is a bi-national United States and Canadian organization charged with the missions of aerospace warning and aerospace control for North America.

Aerospace warning includes the monitoring of man-made objects in space, and the detection, validation, and warning of attack against North America whether by aircraft, missiles, or space vehicles, through mutual support arrangements with other commands. Aerospace control includes ensuring air sovereignty and air defense of the airspace of Canada and the United States.

In May 2006, a NORAD agreement renewal among the all of the partners added a maritime warning mission, which entails a shared awareness and understanding of the activities conducted in U.S. and Canadian maritime approaches, maritime areas and inland waterways.

To accomplish the aerospace warning mission, the commander of NORAD provides an integrated tactical warning and attack assessment to the governments of Canada and the United States. To accomplish the aerospace control mission, NORAD uses a network of satellites, ground-based radar, airborne radar and fighters to detect, intercept and, if necessary, engage any air-breathing threat to North America.

As a part of its aerospace control mission, NORAD assists in the detection and monitoring of aircraft suspected of illegal drug trafficking. This information is passed to civilian law enforcement agencies to help combat the flow of illegal drugs into North America. The command is currently developing a concept for implementing the new maritime warning mission.

To accomplish these critically important missions, NORAD continually adjusts its structure to meet the demands of a changing world. The commander is appointed by, and is responsible to, both the U.S. president and the Canadian prime minister.

The commander maintains his headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base (AFB), Colorado. The NORAD-U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) Command Center serves as a central collection and coordination facility for a worldwide system of sensors designed to provide the commander and the leadership of Canada and the U.S. with an accurate picture of any aerospace threat. Three subordinate regional headquarters, located at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Canadian Forces Base, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, receive direction from the commander and control air operations within their respective areas of responsibility.

Alaska NORAD Region (ANR)

The Alaskan NORAD Region is the binational organization responsible for performing the NORAD air sovereignty and air control mission over the state of Alaska as well as the northwest approaches to North America. The headquarters for the ANR is collocated at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, with headquarters Alaska Command (ALCOM), a sub-unified command of U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) and Joint Task Force-Alaska (JTF-AK), a subordinate unit of USNORTHCOM.

The ANR Commander is also the Commander of ALCOM, and JTF-AK. ANR is supported by both active duty Canadian forces and U.S. forces, as well as Alaska Air National Guard units. The ANR s Regional Air Operations Center is manned by both U.S. personnel and Canadian forces to maintain continuous surveillance of its operational area. The Alaska Air Defense Sector (ADS) is the single ADS within the ANR and is also collocated at Elmendorf AFB.

Canadian NORAD Region (CANR)

The Canadian NORAD Region, like the ANR, is also a binational organization responsible for performing NORAD's air sovereignty and air control mission over Canada as well as the polar approaches to North America. CANR is located at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Sector Air Operations Center (SAOC) for Canada is located at CFB North Bay, Ontario. The CANR Commander is also the Commander of 1 Canadian Air Division (CAD). CANR is manned by both 1 CAD and U.S. personnel.

Continental United States NORAD Region (CONR)

The Continental United States NORAD Region is the subordinate, binationally staffed command responsible for the air sovereignty and air control of the airspace over the Continental United States (CONUS), to include the approaches to North America. The CONR Commander exercises operational control (OPCON) over all air defense forces within CONUS from Tyndall AFB, Florida.

Air Combat Command (ACC) and the United States Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) are the force providers for ground, sea, and air units apportioned through the Joint Strategic Capabilities Plan (JSCP) to support the NORAD missions. ANG support is liaised through USJFCOM and ACC.

CONR operates in an extremely complex, binational and multi-command environment where political, military and economic conditions interrelate. CONR is collocated with a numbered air force subordinate to ACC. The CONR Commander is also the Commander, Air Force North (AFNORTH), located at Tyndall AFB, Florida, and may be designated the joint force air component commander for USNORTHCOM for unilateral U.S. air operations within the USNORTHCOM area of responsibility (AOR).

Within the continental Unites States NORAD runs the following air defense sectors.

National Capital Region Integrated Air Defense System (NCR IADS)

NCR-IADS is a unique sub-element of the NORAD continental U.S. region, which was established in response to terrorist air threats to the National Capitol Region. NCR-IADS has a coordination relationship with Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS).

Eastern Air Defense Sector (EADS)

In 2005, the United States Air Force announced the consolidation of the Northeast Air Defense Sector with the Southeast Air Defense Sector (SEADS) to form the new East Air Defense Sector (EADS), which will operate from the existing NEADS facility at Griffiss AFB in Rome, New York, and provides military air surveillance for the entire east coast, east of the Mississippi River (east of 97 degrees West Longitude).

WADS, that is located at McChord AFB, Washington, is the western equivalent to the EADS mentioned above and is responsible for all CONR air operations west of 97 degrees West Longitude (roughly the Mississippi River).

The Joint Surveillance Site (JSS)

The JSS is a network of ground-base, fixed long range surveillance radars, primarily operated and maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but providing communication and radar data to both FAA and USAF control centers. The newest long range search radar in the Joint Surveillance System (JSS) that has recently been fielded is the Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR)-4. Providing air defense and air traffic control for the continental United States, Guam, and Hawaii, forty four joint radar sites were installed during the 1992-1995 period. The ARSR-4 was fielded through a $1 billion Congressionally mandated joint FAA and Air Force program, and each station costs over $12 million.

JSS Site Locations

Here is a list of the known JSS sites in current operation located along the perimeter of the US looking outward. In addition to the radar feed, each site has a communications capability on a variety of frequencies, including NORAD frequencies that are relayed through these sites.

The Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR)-4 System is three-dimensional long range radar that is the centerpiece of the FAA/Air Force Radar Replacement (FARR) program. The system replaces the earlier FPS-20 series two-dimensional long range air route surveillance systems.

The ARSR-4 system provides 360 degree azimuth coverage for ranges out to 250 nautical miles, at heights up to 100,000 feet, and for elevation angles of -7 to +30 degrees (stacked beam). Unlike the FPS-20’s which had two separate and independent channels providing full transmitter and receiver redundancy, the ARSR-4 uses two separate but dependent air-cooled solid state transmitter to generate the two transmit pulses (60 and 90 microsecond wide).

The radar echoes (returns) are received by the antenna and processed by a seven-channel RF receiver and signal processor. The primitive target detections from the seven signal processor channels are further processed in a data processor (Common Digitizer) that provides scan-to-scan correlation (search and beacon alignment) and radar/beacon target merging (reinforcement). The data processor formats the target data into user acceptable message formats (13 bit) and transmits the target data to end users via a system of serial data links (serial in/out, radar cable junction box, modems).

Copyright 2009/2012 by Monitoring Times magazine and the author. Reproduction is not permitted without permission of the copyright holders. Material in these post originally appeared in the June 2009 and January 2012 Milcom columns in Monitoring Times magazine.

Friday, July 15, 2016

The Republican National Convention starts on Monday 18 July in Cleveland OH. This and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia PA a week later are both National Special Security Events. below are the aero charts and NOTAMS that have been issued for these two NSSEs.

I will have more specific frequency information for milair monitors shortly in a future post to this blog.

A National Special Security Event (NSSE) is an event of national or international significance deemed by the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to be a potential target for terrorism or other criminal activity. These events have included summits of world leaders, meetings of international organizations, presidential nominating conventions and presidential inaugurations. NSSE designation requires federal agencies to provide full cooperation and support to ensure the safety and security of those participating in or otherwise attending the event, and the community within which the event takes place, and is typically limited to specific event sites for a specified time frame. An NSSE puts the United States Secret Service in charge of event security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation in charge of intelligence, counter terrorism, hostage rescue and investigation of incidents of terrorism or other major criminal activities associated with the NSSE, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency in charge of recovery management in the aftermath of terrorist or other major criminal incidents, natural disasters or other catastrophic events.

The NOTAM for the Republican National Convention has been issued and is presented below.

FDC 6/3692 - OH..AIRSPACE CLEVELAND, OH..TEMPORARY FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS. JULY 17-22, 2016 LOCAL. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B), THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NATIONAL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROCEDURESANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM:

A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES; OR

B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER TITLE 49 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 46307; OR

C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT.

PURSUANT TO TITLE 14 CFR SECTION 99.7, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, ALL AIRCRAFT FLIGHT OPERATIONS ARE PROHIBITED WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 30NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1607172200 UTC (1800 LOCAL 07/17/16) UNTIL 1607220700 UTC (0300 LOCAL 07/22/16). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL; EXCLUDING AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 413354N0812910W (CXR286014.8) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1607172200 UTC (1800 LOCAL 07/17/16) UNTIL 1607180230 UTC (2230 LOCAL 07/17/16). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1607180230 UTC (2230 LOCAL 07/17/16) UNTIL 1607181400 UTC (1000 LOCAL 07/18/16). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL; EXCLUDING AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 413354N0812910W (CXR286014.8) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1607181400 UTC (1000 LOCAL 07/18/16) UNTIL 1607190500 UTC (0100 LOCAL 07/19/16). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 160719 UTC (LOCAL 07/19/16) UNTIL 160721 UTC (LOCAL 07/21/16) DLY 0500-1800 (0100-1400 LOCAL). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL; EXCLUDING AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 413354N0812910W (CXR286014.8) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 160719 UTC (LOCAL 07/19/16) UNTIL 160721 UTC (LOCAL 07/21/16) DLY 1800-0500 (1400-0100 LOCAL). WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 10NM RADIUS OF 412947N0814117W (DJB074022.9) SFC-17999FT MSL; EXCLUDING AN AREA DEFINED AS 3NM RADIUS OF 413354N0812910W (CXR286014.8) SFC-17999FT MSL EFFECTIVE 1607211800 UTC (1400 LOCAL 07/21/16) UNTIL 1607220700 UTC (0300 LOCAL 07/22/16). EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED BELOW AND/OR UNLESS AUTHORIZEDBY ATC IN CONSULTATION WITH THE AIR TRAFFICSECURITY COORDINATOR VIA THE DOMESTIC EVENTSNETWORK (DEN):

A. ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS WITHIN THE 3 OR 10 NMR AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE INNER CORE(S), ARE PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR: APPROVED LAW ENFORCEMENT, MILITARY AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION, APPROVED AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHTS, AND REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL PASSENGER AND ALL-CARGO CARRIERS OPERATING UNDER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TSA-APPROVED STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAMS/PROCEDURES: AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (AOSSP), FULL ALL-CARGO AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (FACAOSSP), MODEL SECURITY PROGRAM (MSP), TWELVE FIVE STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (TFSSP) ALL CARGO, OR ALL-CARGO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PROCEDURE (ACISP) AND ARE ARRIVING INTO AND/OR DEPARTING FROM 14 CFR PART 139 AIRPORTS. ALL EMERGENCY/LIFESAVING FLIGHT (MEDICAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT/FIREFIGHTING) OPERATIONS MUST COORDINATE WITH THE FAA AT THE AVIATION SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (ASOC) LOCATED IN THE CLEVELAND MULTI-AGENCY COORDINATION CENTER (MACC) BY CALLING 216-898-3266 TO AVOID POTENTIAL DELAYS.(TFSSP) ALL CARGO, OR ALL-CARGO INTERNATIONAL SECURITY PROCEDURE (ACISP) AND ARE ARRIVING INTO AND/OR DEPARTING FROM 14 CFR PART 139 AIRPORTS. ALL EMERGENCY/LIFE SAVING FLIGHT (MEDICAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT/FIREFIGHTING) OPERATIONS MUST COORDINATE WITH THE FAA AT THE AVIATION SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (ASOC) LOCATED IN THE CLEVELAND MULTI-AGENCY COORDINATION CENTER (MACC) BY CALLING 216-898-3266 TO AVOID POTENTIAL DELAYS.

B. FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE AIRSPACE BETWEEN THE 3 OR 10 NMR AND 30 NMR AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE OUTER RING(S): ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHIN THE OUTER RING(S) LISTED ABOVE ARE LIMITED TO AIRCRAFT ARRIVING OR DEPARTING LOCAL AIRFIELDS, AND WORKLOAD PERMITTING, ATC MAY AUTHORIZE TRANSIT OPERATIONS. AIRCRAFT MAY NOT LOITER. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE ON AN ACTIVE IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH A DISCRETE CODE ASSIGNED BY AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) FACILITY. AIRCRAFT MUST BE SQUAWKING THE DISCRETE CODE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE TFR AND MUST REMAIN IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC. TO RECEIVE YOUR DISCRETE CODE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT, CONTACT CLEVELAND TRACON AT 216-352-2323.

C. OPERATORS WITH GOV, SPO AND ELO WAIVERS MUST APPLY FOR A SPECIAL EVENT WAIVER NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THEIR SCHEDULED FLIGHT ONLINE AT HTTPS://WAIVERS.FAA.GOV. SELECT SPECIAL EVENT AS THE TYPE OF WAIVER WHEN APPLYING.

D. GATEWAY AIRPORT PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CREATED BY TSA AT AKRON-CANTON REGIONAL (KCAK) AND YOUNGSTOWN-WARREN REGIONAL AIRPORT (KYNG) TO ACCOMMODATE GENERAL AVIATION OPERATIONS ARRIVING AND DEPARTING CLEVELAND HOPKINS INTERNATIONAL (KCLE) AND BURKE LAKEFRONT (KBKL). GATEWAY SCREENING PROCEDURES WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FOR GENERAL AVIATION OPERATORS WISHING TO DEPART CLEVELAND HOPKINS INTERNATIONAL (KCLE) AND BURKE LAKEFRONT (KBKL). TSA SCREENING WILL BE AVAILABLE ON JULY 18, 2016 FROM 1000-2359 LOCAL, ON JULY 19-21, 2016 FROM 1400-2359. SPECIAL ATC PROCEDURES MAY BE ASSIGNED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM A GATEWAY AIRPORT. PILOTS, CREW, AND PASSENGERS MUST PROVIDE VALID GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO IDENTIFICATION TO THE TSA AT THE GATEWAY AIRPORT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. AIRCRAFT OPERATORS MUST REGISTER WITH TSA FOR GATEWAY SCREENING NO LESS THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THEIR SCHEDULED DEPARTURE TIME. RESERVATIONS FOR SCREENING MAY BE MADE DAILY BEGINNING JULY 15, 2016 AT 0001 LOCAL BY CALLING TSA AT 614-239-3015.

E. ON DEPARTURE FROM A GATEWAY AIRPORT AIRCRAFT MUST MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND CONTINUOUSLY SQUAWK AN ATC ASSIGNED DISCRETE CODE. INTERMEDIATE STOPS WHILE ENROUTE ARE NOT AUTHORIZED UNLESS AN EMERGENCY EXISTS.

FDC 6/3964 - PA..AIRSPACE PHILADELPHIA, PA..TEMPORARY FLIGHTRESTRICTIONS. JULY 25-29, 2016 LOCAL. THIS NOTAM REPLACES NOTAM 6/3773 DUE TO TSA SCREENING TIME CHANGE. PURSUANT TO 49 USC 40103(B), THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) CLASSIFIES THE AIRSPACE DEFINED IN THIS NOTAM AS 'NATIONAL DEFENSE AIRSPACE'. PILOTS WHO DO NOT ADHERE TO THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DETAINED AND INTERVIEWED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT/SECURITY PERSONNEL. ANY OF THE FOLLOWING ADDITIONAL ACTIONS MAY ALSO BE TAKEN AGAINST A PILOT WHO DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OR ANY SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS OR PROCEDURES ANNOUNCED IN THIS NOTAM:

A) THE FAA MAY TAKE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING IMPOSING CIVIL PENALTIES AND THE SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF AIRMEN CERTIFICATES; OR

B) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY PURSUE CRIMINAL CHARGES, INCLUDING CHARGES UNDER TITLE 49 OF THE UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 46307; OR

C) THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY USE DEADLY FORCE AGAINST THE AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT, IF IT IS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT POSES AN IMMINENT SECURITY THREAT.

A. ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS WITHIN THE 3 OR 10 NM RADIUS AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE INNER CORE(S), ARE PROHIBITED EXCEPT FOR: APPROVED LAW ENFORCEMENT, MILITARY AIRCRAFT DIRECTLY SUPPORTING THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION, APPROVED AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHTS, AND REGULARLY SCHEDULED COMMERCIAL PASSENGER AND ALL-CARGO CARRIERS OPERATING UNDER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TSA-APPROVED STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAMS/PROCEDURES: AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (AOSSP), FULL ALL-CARGO AIRCRAFT OPERATOR STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (FACAOSSP), MODEL SECURITY PROGRAM (MSP), TWELVE FIVE STANDARD SECURITY PROGRAM (TFSSP) ALL CARGO, OR ALL-CARGO INTERNATIONALSECURITY PROCEDURE (ACISP) AND ARE ARRIVING INTO AND/OR DEPARTING FROM 14 CFR PART 139 AIRPORTS. ALL EMERGENCY/LIFE SAVING FLIGHT (MEDICAL/LAW ENFORCEMENT/FIREFIGHTING) OPERATIONS MUST COORDINATE WITH THE FAA AT THE AVIATION SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER (ASOC) PRIOR TO THEIR DEPARTURE BY CALLING 267-551-7744 TO AVOID POTENTIAL DELAYS.

B. FOR OPERATIONS WITHIN THE AIRSPACE BETWEEN THE 3 OR 10 NM RADIUS AND 30 NM RADIUS AREA(S) LISTED ABOVE, KNOWN AS THE OUTER RING(S): ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATING WITHIN THE OUTER RING(S) LISTED ABOVE ARE LIMITED TO AIRCRAFT ARRIVING OR DEPARTING LOCAL AIRFIELDS, AND WORKLOAD PERMITTING, ATC MAY AUTHORIZE TRANSIT OPERATIONS. AIRCRAFT MAY NOT LOITER. ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE ON AN ACTIVE IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH A DISCRETE CODE ASSIGNED BY AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) FACILITY. AIRCRAFT MUST BE SQUAWKING THE DISCRETE CODE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND AT ALL TIMES WHILE IN THE TFR AND MUST REMAIN IN TWO-WAY RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH ATC.

C. OPERATORS WITH GOV, SPO AND ELO WAIVERS MUST APPLY FOR A SPECIAL EVENT WAIVER NO LATER THAN 24 HOURS PRIOR TO THEIR SCHEDULED FLIGHT ONLINE AT HTTPS://WAIVERS.FAA.GOV. SELECT SPECIAL EVENT AS THE TYPE OF WAIVER WHEN APPLYING.

D. GATEWAY AIRPORTS HAVE BEEN CREATED AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT (KHPN) AND HARRISBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MDT) BY TSA TO ACCOMMODATE AIRCRAFT ARRIVING PHILADELPHIA INTERANTIONAL AIRPORT (PHL). TSA SCREENING WILL BE AVAILABLE DAILY ON MONDAY JULY 25TH THROUGH THURSDAY THE 28TH FROM 1500-0000 LOCAL/1900-0400 UTC, PILOTS, CREW AND PASSENGERS MUST PROVIDE VALID GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHOTO IDENTIFICATION TO THE TSA AT THE GATEWAY AIRPORT AND/OR KPHL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. GATEWAY SCREENING WILL INCLUDE IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION AND VETTING OF ALL PILOTS, CREW AND PASSENGERS, SCREENING OF PERSONS AND BAGGAGE, AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. ON DEPARTURE FROM A GATEWAY AIRPORT AIRCRAFT MUST MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND CONTINUOUSLY SQUAWK AN ATC-ASSIGNED DISCRETE CODE. INTERMEDIATE STOPS WHILE ENROUTE ARE NOT AUTHORIZED UNLESS AN EMERGENCY EXISTS. RESERVATIONS FOR SCREENING MAY BE MADE DAILY BEGINNING JULY 22ND BY CALLING TSA AT 215-863-4927.

E. ALL AIRCRAFT LANDING OR DEPARTING NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA AIRPORT OPERATIONS WITHIN THIS REGION. MUST BE ON AN ACTIVE IFR OR VFR FLIGHT PLAN, MAINTAIN TWO WAY RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC AND CONTINUOUSLY SQUAWK AN ATC-ASSIGNED DISCRETE BEACON CODE. NO AIRBORNE OVER THE RADIO FLIGHT PLANS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

F. FAA RECOMMENDS THAT ALL NON-REGULARLY SCHEDULED AIR CARRIERS AND AIR CARGO OPERATORS CHECK WITH THE AIRPORT AND OR FIXED BASED OPERATORS FOR PARKING RESERVATIONS AS A LARGE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT ARE EXPECTED DURING THIS EVENT AND PARKING WILL BE LIMITED. FOR RESERVATIONS AT KPHL ATLANTIC AVIATION PLEASE CALL 215-492-7060 AND FOR KPNE ATLANTIC AVIATION PLEASE CALL 215-698-3100.

One of the more common frequencies that are heard in the 225-400 MHz aero band are the U.S. Air Force (USAF) aerial refueling (AR) frequencies. I have worked with original Department of Defense (DoD) docs and monitoring to update and post the latest AR frequencies for monitors in the upper Midwest and northeast United States.

The are two types of aerial refueling routes: tracks and anchors.

Aerial refueling tracks are established to accommodate refueling operations along a prescribed route. An aerial refueling track consists of an Air Refueling Initiation Point (ARIP), Air Refueling Control Point (ARCP), and an exit point. Navigation check points between the ARCP and exit point are specified, as required, to facilitate navigation along the route. It also includes the tanker orbit pattern at the ARCP, and the altitude block(s) assigned for the track.

The standard anchor area consists of one or more entry points, an ARIP, anchor point, anchor pattern turn points, one or more exit points, and the designated refueling altitude block(s). The standard aerial refueling anchor pattern consists of a left-hand race track orbit with legs at least 50 NM in length. The legs will normally be separated by at least 20 NM. The orientation of the pattern is determined based on the inbound course to the anchor point. Four turn points are designated to describe the anchor pattern.

Each track/anchor has a scheduling unit. That scheduling unit holds clues who is the primary user of the AR routes they control whether it is tankers or receivers. For instance, the 437OSS based at Charleston controls three AR routes and those routes are used by their C-17 aircraft. Various tanker units would support those aircraft when refueling. Any other units wanting to use their routes would have to schedule those activities with the scheduling agency.

The map below shows the various tracks and anchors used by DoD in the upper Midwest and northeastern United States.